The state Supreme Court is questioning whether there should be a new casino in West Warwick. The apprehension comes at a time, when arguments are being spat back and forth over the claim. More arguments are scheduled to be heard on Aug. 15.
The casino would be a partner of the Narragansett Indian Tribe and Las Vegas-based Harrah's Entertainment. The court believes that the casino proposal conflicts with the state Constitution. The constitution requirement is that any lottery be state-run.
Lawmakers have recently changed the bill, and have looked for other options for advice. If the court approves the language of the documents, the casino would still need to be seconded by Rhode Island voters.
Backers back in June said that a vote on this could be delayed until November 2006. This would be at the earliest, because there wouldn't be enough time for a lawmakers vote on the issue. It first needs a referendum and a good amount of public support on this campaign. |
